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It's not fear of enforcement that motivates people to act on these signs, it is the moral reminder that their behaviour is not socially acceptable (not to menti

It's not fear of enforcement that motivates people to act on these signs, it is the moral reminder that their behaviour is not socially acceptable (not to mention illegal). For a large group of people this works. Speeding (and being a smombie behind the wheel) is something people often do unintentionally, or with a rationalization mindset of 'everybody does it' (or something along those lines). For both these cases a reminder without further consequences can guide them to better behaviour. For the rest who just make their own rules enforcement remains necessary of course, but it helps if you can get a good number of people to cooperate intrinsically.

esotericn 8y ago
I suppose it depends a lot on your local area. Where I live there are tons of these 'flashy speed limit' signs. I don't think I've ever seen anyone obey them. 35-40mph in the new London '20 zones' is completely normal behaviour if the road permits; everyone does indeed do it, including buses and off-duty police/ambulances. It is, in fact, empirically socially acceptable (by the drivers if not necessarily by people who live there). In areas with speed bumps you see much lower speeds because people don't want to damage their vehicles. Enforcement, basically. The same is true for real speed cameras, people tend to speed up and slow down. That said, mobile phone use is different. I think most people intuitively recognise that using a phone at the wheel, particularly in an urban area, is really quite dangerous, and maybe a sign would work.
- nmstoker 8y ago
  Don't want to sound condescending about drivers but on my street I see plenty of people who don't alter their behaviour with the speed bumps - either because they are not observant or it's not their vehicle (the council rubbish vans get thrown over them at high speed by their angry careless drivers!)
- stordoff 8y ago
  Further anecdotally, there is one at the entrance to my village (where a 50 goes down to a 30), and I've seen _plenty_ of people slow down when it flashes.

esotericn 8y ago

I suppose it depends a lot on your local area. Where I live there are tons of these 'flashy speed limit' signs. I don't think I've ever seen anyone obey them. 35-40mph in the new London '20 zones' is completely normal behaviour if the road permits; everyone does indeed do it, including buses and off-duty police/ambulances. It is, in fact, empirically socially acceptable (by the drivers if not necessarily by people who live there). In areas with speed bumps you see much lower speeds because people don't want to damage their vehicles. Enforcement, basically. The same is true for real speed cameras, people tend to speed up and slow down. That said, mobile phone use is different. I think most people intuitively recognise that using a phone at the wheel, particularly in an urban area, is really quite dangerous, and maybe a sign would work.

nmstoker 8y ago
Don't want to sound condescending about drivers but on my street I see plenty of people who don't alter their behaviour with the speed bumps - either because they are not observant or it's not their vehicle (the council rubbish vans get thrown over them at high speed by their angry careless drivers!)
stordoff 8y ago
Further anecdotally, there is one at the entrance to my village (where a 50 goes down to a 30), and I've seen _plenty_ of people slow down when it flashes.